VZCZCXRO7160
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0915/01 2221136
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101136Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1504
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000915 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12598:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON KDEM EMIN ASEC GV
SUBJECT: TRIP REPORT - CHARGE VISITS NEIGHBORING FRIA PREFECTURE 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  The Charge and Pol/Econ Chief traveled about two 
hours north of Conakry to the prefecture of Fria on August 2 where 
they met with the newly installed prefect, elected city officials, 
and representatives from civil society, political parties, and 
unions; toured the Russian-owned Rusal bauxite mine; and received a 
grateful welcome from a women's cooperative funded through the 
Ambassador's Self-Help Fund.  Following reports of uneasy 
transitions for Prime Minister Kouyate's newly appointed prefects, 
we found the new prefect peacefully settling into his office after 
two weeks on the job.  Government officials and community leaders 
alike expressed concern over delays in scheduling legislative 
elections and ongoing economic challenges.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The prefecture of Fria includes 122,000 residents and the 
first bauxite mine in the country, which started operating in 1960, 
and is currently owned by Rusal, who purchased it from U.S.-owned 
Reynolds in 2004.  In an initial meeting with the Charge, the new 
Prefect, M. Moundjour Sherif, said that while some other prefectures 
reported problems with the transition from former to newly appointed 
prefects, Fria's transition was peaceful and problem-free.  Fria's 
Mayor, Elhadj Mamadou Alpha "Diallo Syli," agreed and said that the 
local population willingly accepted the new prefect while in a quiet 
aside, he emphasized that the new man would have to prove himself. 
After two weeks in office, the Prefect, who had some years earlier 
been assigned as a secondary school teacher in Fria and knows the 
town, said that he is focusing on getting his administrators 
together and developing a program of action for the duration of his 
appointment. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Before a tour of the Rusal bauxite mine, mine managers 
described the company's corporate programs in the prefecture, which 
include a recently completed $5 million road improvement project, 
funding for a local hospital, and the establishment of a technical 
school to develop the local labor pool.  In a later meeting with 
civil society and local government representatives, participants 
complained about the mine's lack of investment in the local 
community, which they described as very low relative to its nearly 
50-year history and high profitability.  Rusal's $5 million road 
project was in response to strikes in late 2006 during which 
residents demanded that Rusal fix the roads.  Even after Rusal 
provided funding to the local government, residents struck again in 
February arguing that local government officials were pocketing the 
money since no work had been started.  The problem seems to have 
been resolved now that the road has been completed.  In an aside, 
Rusal's manager said he had been brought in nine months ago to 
resolve some serious technical issues.  However, he spends 75% of 
his time on personnel matters. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Rusal is the only company in Guinea currently extracting 
alumina from its mined bauxite before export.  The average alumina 
content at Rusal is 40%, which is high when compared to world 
bauxite deposits, but relatively low when compared to some other 
mines in Guinea.  The mine includes confirmed bauxite deposits of 
360 million tons, but could contain as much as 1 billion tons.  At 
current processing rates of 2.5 million tons of bauxite annually, 
the mine could continue to produce for over 100 years.  Rusal 
management plans to expand operations in the near future and has 
invested considerable (undisclosed) sums on five steam/electric 
generators and other upgrades following its purchase from Reynolds. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) A widely attended meeting with representatives from civil 
society, central and local government, political parties, and unions 
generated a lively discussion of political and economic issues. 
Concerns over upcoming legislative elections were foremost in 
people's minds, and in particular, the GoG's lack of progress in 
taking the concrete steps needed to advance the process.  A 
representative from the Rally for the Guinean People Party (RPG) 
speaking on behalf of opposition parties, stressed that the 
formation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) is 
critical to transparency.  "The CENI's neutrality must be absolute." 
 He added that CENI delegates should be people who know the 
electoral code well.  The representative from the Party for Unity 
and Progress (PUP) said that the majority party wants the same 
things, noting that if the elections are well-organized, "they would 
not be contested." 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Local union representatives echoed concerns about the 
upcoming elections and said that "every Guinean is demanding 
change."  Representatives also commented on the rising cost of 
living and the difficulties people face in meeting basic needs. 
Global connectivity is another concern, particularly voiced by union 
leaders who along with government officials, political parties and 
civic society, lack the necessary equipment and technology for 
information gathering and sharing. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Administrators of local government units emphasized that 
while elections are organized at the national level, they are 
executed at the local level.  Government officials were especially 
concerned about obtaining the materials and financing necessary to 
effectively organize the elections at the polls in provincial 
 
CONAKRY 00000915  002 OF 002 
 
 
centers and out in the countryside. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) A representative from a local NGO promoting youth issues 
said that the HIV infection rate is increasing in Fria, without 
producing any figures, and requested financing to help combat the 
problem.  He also commented on the high unemployment rate among 
Fria's youth, saying that young people want to work but do not have 
the necessary skills or education. 
 
¶9.  (U) The Embassy received a warm welcome from a women's 
cooperative funded through Self-Help.  The participants proudly 
displayed their crocheted handiwork and showed off their new bare 
bones classroom aimed at improving literacy. 
 
¶10. (SBU) COMMENT.  Talks with local leaders confirmed that the 
delayed legislative elections and the need for transparency are 
major concerns.  It was also evident that people were misinformed 
about planned election processes such as voter registration, a 
problem that may be alleviated once the CENI is established. 
Financial hardship and poverty among the population is another 
issue, even in a town where the Rusal mine gainfully employs about 
1000 local residents and covers some 1400 pensioners whose stipends 
are badly eroded by inflation.  END COMMENT. 
 
KAEUPER